Table 1.
Biological investigation of Sceletium plants.
| Biological Activity | Part Used | Chemical Composition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antidepressant-like properties, anxiolytic, mood elevator | Not specified | Alkaloids | [1] |
| Toxicological tests | Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin®) | Mesembrenone, mesembrenol and mesembrin | [8] |
| Anxiety, depression | Whole plant | Alkaloids | [9] |
| Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective effects | Leaves | Mesembrine | [13] |
| Immunomodulatory effects, depression, inflammation | Sceletium tortuosum (Trimesemine™) | Alkaloids | [28] |
| Antiviral, antioxidant activity | Whole plant | Anthraquinones, terpenes, polyphenols, anthocyanin, tannins, alkaloids, glycosides, carbohydrates and coumarins | [36] |
| Sleep function, improves memory and enhances cognitive function | Whole plant | Alkaloids | [43] |
| Anxiolytic effect | Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin®) | Alkaloids | [48] |
| Central nervous system activity | Whole plant | Alkaloids | [61] |
| Antimalarial activity | Whole plant | Mesembrine | [75,76,77] |
| Stress-related illnesses | Whole plant | Δ7-mesembrenone, mesembrenone and mesembrine. | [78] |
| Immunomodulatory effects | leaves | Δ7-mesembrenone | [79] |
| Neurocognitive effects | Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin®) | Alkaloids | [80] |
| Antidepressant | Not specified | Mesembrines, Mesembrenol, mesembrenone | [59] |
| Safety, tolerability, promotes coping with stress and sleep. | Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin®) | Mesembrine | [81] |
| Toxicological tests | Whole plant | Mesembrine, mainly the O- and N demethyl-dihydro, hydroxy, and bis-demethyl-dihydro metabolites | [82] |